Sleep and lucid dreaming with virtual reality to support mental health
Official title: Transformative Benefits of Contemplative Sleep Practices and a Novel Pathway to Deliver Benefits to the General Public
Run by Northwestern University · NCT07408206 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will test whether a Dream-Yoga-inspired program delivered with virtual reality and home sleep technology can increase lucid dreaming and help reduce anxiety in adults who remember dreams at least once a week.
Quick facts
| Phase | Early Phase 1 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 70 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Northwestern University Academic / other |
| Locations | 2 sites (Evanston, Illinois and 1 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 15, 2026 |
| Main results expected | October 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07408206 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are healthy English-speaking adults (18+) who recall dreams at least once per week, have a GAD-7 score in the 5–21 range, no prior established meditative practice, no major psychiatric or sleep disorders, and are willing to wear a sleep headband and attend study visits.
✕Probably not a fit
People with active major psychiatric conditions, diagnosed sleep disorders, recent nightshift work, a history of seizures/heart problems/asthma, current recreational drug use, or extensive prior contemplative training are unlikely to benefit or be eligible.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized, early-phase trial compares a Dream-Yoga-inspired intervention delivered via virtual-reality training plus home sleep monitoring to an active control Sleep Health Enhancement Program (SHEP). Healthy English-speaking adults with high dream recall are randomly assigned to one of the two arms and complete baseline and post-intervention assessments. The study uses wearable sleep devices, neurophysiological measures, and validated cognitive and perceptual tests to characterize changes in sleep physiology and lucid dreaming frequency, with anxiety measured as an exploratory outcome. The intervention adapts traditional contemplative practices into a standardized, secular, and scalable program for people without prior meditation experience.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could offer a scalable, non-drug approach to increase lucid dreaming, modify sleep-related brain activity, and potentially reduce anxiety symptoms.
How similar studies have gone: Prior small studies support methods for inducing lucid dreams and using sleep monitoring, but combining Dream Yoga practices with virtual reality and home neurophysiology in a randomized design is largely novel.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals interested in participating will be screened for eligibility through a Qualtrics survey, a Score between 5-21 points in GAD-7. Healthy, English-speaking adults (at least 18 years old) with high dream recall (at least 1/week). Exclusion Criteria: * We will exclude people who self-report any of the following: 1. history of an established meditative practice 2. psychological or psychiatric disorders (other than mild anxiety) 3. sleep disorders, nightshift work in the past month, extreme chronotype or irregular sleeping pattern 4. use of recreational drugs in the past month 5. history of asthma, seizures or heart problems 6. unwillingness to wear headband during sleep
Where it's running
-
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois, United States Recruiting -
Contemplative Sciences Center
Charlottesville, Virginia, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: S. Gabriela Torres Platas, Ph.D.
- Email: gabriela.torresplatas@northwestern.edu
- Phone: (847) 491-3741
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.